Ever since the start of my career in consumer electronics and every time I meet a new person who learns of my career I get the dreaded question:” You must have a great system at your house?”
The answer was always been the same; A nervous laugh followed by the comment that the “cobbler never has any shoes”.
Yes, it is true. For the last 20 years I have walked around barefoot in my electronic home. All of my “stuff” has been a mishmash of older components strung together with left over patch cables and power strips. Quite a sight to behold for the home of an electronics “professional”. (“Honestly” Leslie interjects, “We’ve had some cool technologies over the years…”
Why you ask? Money, time and priorities. Plus, when you are around the stuff all day, it seems crazy to have it at night too. At least so I thought.
Everything changed last month.
I took some bucks I had saved in the kitty and bought, installed and programmed (myself) an integrated system for entertainment, lighting and HVAC control. My house now has an in-wall touch panel, keypads, smart switches, communicating thermostats, iPad and iPhone control, streaming radio, XM, etc., etc., etc.
We didn’t just get new shoes, we got Nike high-tops with brightly colored laces and pump up soles.
While I was carefully removing each new Crestron Prodigy device from its den of cardboard, styrofoam and plastic, I wondered if it would make a difference in our home. Of course our teenage sons would think it was “sick” and all, but how would it be for Leslie and me? Maybe the Wal-Mart “Air-tops” would have been sufficient?
I can honestly say it is great fun. I am now experiencing what I have been telling my clients all along. Sentences like: “You will discover your music again” and “If it is simple to use, you’ll use it” and “You’ll find it so convenient” are all true. In fact, we have been really enjoying our new system so much that I keep obsessing about how I can add to it. So, now I look forward to meeting someone new with the hope that they will ask the question. Heck, I might even try to bring it up because it’s really cool to have new shoes and it feels great to be a proud cobbler.

The Cobbler Has New Shoes was last modified: January 17th, 2012 by Leslie